1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus with a display unit, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus that previews images page by page.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses include, for example, an MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) having scanner, facsimile, copy, printer, data communication, and server functions, a facsimile machine, a copier, and a printer.
A conventional image forming apparatus has a preview function for displaying an image to be printed on an operation panel of the image forming apparatus. The preview function allows the user to check the finished state of the printout in advance.
A conventional image forming apparatus additionally has a function of accepting the setting of a mode from the user during preview and correcting a preview image in accordance with the set mode. The modes that can be set by the user include, for example, correction of an image density, page replacement, change of an image orientation, and the like. Accordingly, when a preview image includes an error, the user can set a necessary mode that affects the preview image thereby preventing a miscopy.
Here, the following Documents 1 to 5 disclose techniques concerning a method of operating an image forming apparatus during preview. Document 1 discloses a technique in which a button for transition to a setting window for inserted paper setting, page deletion, or document insertion is displayed on a preview screen, and editing on the previewed page is accepted when the button is pressed. Document 2 discloses a technique in which thumbnail data of an original image is created, and designation of the inserted position of inserted paper is accepted from the thumbnail data of the previewed original image. Document 3 discloses a technique in which the user is prompted to change the mode to a monochrome mode when printing only in black and white continues for a certain time or longer when color/monochrome automatic switching is being selected. Document 4 discloses a technique in which when duplex print is set, only an image of an odd-numbered page or an even-numbered page can be designated for preview. Document 5 discloses a technique in which when an exceptional page such as a blank page is detected from images input to an image processing apparatus, that page is displayed on a display to allow the user to determine whether the page is required or not.    Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-180044    Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-19904    Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2010-2638    Document 4: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-260696    Document 5: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-206678
In recent years, image forming apparatuses, in particular, MFPs have a number of modes (functions) that can be set. In order to allow selection from these modes during preview, a conventional image forming apparatus displays a number of mode setting keys on the screen of the operation panel, or displays the mode settings divided into appropriate groups on the screen of the operation panel and successively switches the groups to allow the user to select a desired mode therefrom. Then, during preview, if the user finds a mistake in scanning an original or a mistake made when an original is created, the user has to find the desired mode from a number of modes. Therefore, the operation is cumbersome and the convenience of the image forming apparatus is low.
For example, when the user checks a preview image for each page while manually turning pages on a preview screen and finds a page with a low density among the preview images, the user has to find and set the mode for setting density from among a number of modes.
The techniques according to Documents 1 to 5 cannot solve this problem.